Turkey should be part of peace, not war: Main opposition CHP head

Following the U.S. airstrike on a Syrian regime chemical weapons depot, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said on April 7 that Turkey should be "part of peacemaking, not war."
"The use of chemical weapons is not something that can just be palmed off by bombing, the real culprits need to be found and punished," Kılıçdaroğlu said. 

Speaking to newspaper editor-in-chiefs, the CHP head said "experts and independent authorities" needed to find the real culprits of the use of chemical weapons on Tuesday in the Syrian town of Idlib. 

"The trial of the real culprits is important so that other people, groups and states do not attempt to do the same," Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Kılıçdaroğlu criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statements that Turkey will "do its part," following U.S. President Donald Trump's strong words against the Syrian regime, accused of using chemical weapons.

"What is our part? Are we going to move after receiving instructions? Turkey's weight in the Middle East has to a large extent been lost. We would have had weight if we had played the role of bringing the sides together to secure peace. We never want Turkey to be part of a war in the region. Turkey needs to assume an active role to construct peace," he said, stressing that the government needs to think about the negative consequences of war in the region and calling on all sides for restraint and dialogue.

Kılıçdaroğlu also commented on Erdoğan's statements that Turkey could stage new military operations in Syria and Iraq.

"Those governing Turkey talk a lot but they don't get the chance to implement what they say. They said we would enter Manbij. Did they do it? No. Were they allowed to do it? No. They...